Ivorian Popular Front

The Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) is a social democratic political party in Cote d'Ivoire, founded in 1982 by exiled dissident Laurent Gbagbo. The party was influenced by the Socialist Party of France, and it won the 2000 elections in a heavily disputed election. Gbagbo served as President of Cote d'Ivoire from 2000 to 2011, and the party boycotted the 2011 elections, accusing Alassane Ouattara and the liberal Rally of the Republicans party of colluding with the military to intimidate FPI voters. Many FPI journalists were arrested or jailed, and Ouattara was recognized as the winner of the elections; Ouattara and his supporters, backed by United Nations forces (predominantly French Army troops), seized power when Gbagbo refused to hand over power to Ouattara's party.